Announcements Visa Waiver Program Expansion - VWP travel begins November 17 On October 17, President Bush announced the imminent expansion of the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) to include the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, the Republic of Korea and the Slovak Republic. However, the United States must still complete certain internal steps required by statute before we can complete VWP expansion. Nov 5, 2008 - 6:56:56 PM
Travel Warnings U.S. Passports: Important Change in International Land and Sea Travel Document Procedures WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reminds the traveling public that U.S. and Canadian citizens ages 19 and older should no longer expect that they will be able to prove identity and citizenship by relying on an oral declaration alone. Instead, travelers will be asked to present documents from one of the options below when entering the United States at land or sea ports of entry. Travelers who do not present one of the documents listed below may be delayed as U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers attempt to verify their identify and citizenship. Jan 31, 2008 - 12:50:36 PM
U.S. State Department Assassination of Benazir Bhutto On behalf of the United States, I want to express our deepest sympathy on the tragic death of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. We extend our sincere condolences to the Bhutto family and to the families of others who were killed and wounded in the attack. We condemn in the strongest terms possible this cowardly and murderous attack. Dec 27, 2007 - 12:15:29 PM
Announcements Application Fees for Non-Immigrant Visas to Increase On January 1, 2008 Effective January 1, 2008, the application fee for a
U.S. non-immigrant visa will increase from $100 to $131.
This increase allows the Department to recover the costs of security and other enhancements to the non-immigrant visa application process.
This increase applies both to non-immigrant visas issued on machine-readable foils in passports and to border crossing cards issued to certain applicants in
Mexico.
Dec 17, 2007 - 6:58:39 AM
Announcements Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery Ends Dec. 2 The Congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program makes available 50,000 permanent resident visas annually, drawn from random selection among all entries to persons who meet strict eligibility requirements from countries with low rates of immigration to the United States. Oct 13, 2007 - 7:30:01 AM
U.S. State Department Worldwide Caution Alert Issued to U.S. Citizens The Department of State remains concerned about the continued threat of terrorist attacks, demonstrations and other violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests overseas. Oct 9, 2007 - 12:45:42 PM
U.S. State Department Intercountry Adoption of Bhutanese Children Bhutan is a small land-locked Himalayan country
with limited tourism and medical facilities.
Americans have adopted only one Bhutanese child in the past seven fiscal years. Jul 30, 2007 - 5:25:54 PM
U.S. State Department Update on Iran Democracy Promotion Funding In FY 2006, Congress appropriated no less than $6.55 million (PL 109-102) for Iranand Syriafrom Democracy Funds (DF) and requested that at least $10 million be spent by the Department on democracy and human rights programs in Iran overall. Jun 5, 2007 - 7:10:18 AM
U.S. State Department Terrorist Added to Rewards For Justice Most-Wanted List Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has authorized a new reward of up to $5 million for information leading to the arrest or conviction of Zulkifli bin Hir (a.k.a. Marwan), a terrorist believed to be involved in multiple deadly bomb attacks in the Philippines. Mar 27, 2007 - 7:40:55 PM
U.S. State Department Top 10 Tips for Traveling out of the United States Familiarize yourself with local laws and customs of the countries to which you are traveling. Remember, the U.S. Constitution does not follow you! While in a foreign country, you are subject to its laws. Jan 2, 2007 - 7:06:05 AM
U.S. State Department 2008 Diversity Visa Lottery Registrations Over 6.4 million entries for the 2008 Diversity Visa Lottery were received during the two-month electronic registration period, from October 4, 2006, through December 3, 2006. This is an increase from the more than 5.5 million applications received in the 2007 Diversity Visa Lottery. Taking into account dependents, there are more than 10 million participants in the 2008 Diversity Visa Lottery. Dec 19, 2006 - 7:02:54 PM
U.S. State Department Department of State to Introduce Passport Card To meet the documentary requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), the Department of State, in consultation with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), today announced and submitted for public comment a federal rule proposing the development of a card-format passport for international travel by U.S. citizens through land and sea ports of entry between the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda Oct 21, 2006 - 8:02:00 AM
U.S. State Department SAMSUNG EXECUTIVE AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY, SERVE JAIL TIME A San Jose, Calif., executive of Samsung Semiconductor Inc. the world's largest manufacturer of a common computer component called dynamic random access memory or DRAM has agreed to plead guilty and to serve jail time for participating in a global conspiracy to fix DRAM prices, the Department of Justice announced. Sep 22, 2006 - 9:10:00 AM
U.S. State Department Department of State Begins Issuing Electronic Passports to the Public To enhance border security and to facilitate travel, the Department of State began issuing Electronic Passports (e-passports) to the public today. Production has started at the Colorado Passport Agency and will be expanded to other production facilities over the next few months. Aug 14, 2006 - 6:42:00 PM
U.S. State Department Wanted: Extremists - FBI Offers a $30,000 Reward in ALF Case How would you like to find a fire bomb on your doorstep, even if it was intended for your neighbor and left by activists claiming to be protecting animals? You'd probably feel stunned, like the elderly California woman who could've been killed when this happened to her. Now we're looking for the culprits. Aug 4, 2006 - 6:55:00 AM
U.S. State Department Lebanon Situation Update The Department of State advises Americans that the U.S. Embassy in Beirut, the U.S. Embassy in Nicosia, and the U.S. Embassy in Ankara have completed their mutual efforts to assist Americans to depart Lebanon via Cyprus and Turkey on U.S. government-chartered vessels and aircraft for return to the United States. The sustained endeavors of these offices, working with several U.S. military units, helped approximately 15,000 Americans depart Lebanon from July 16 through August 2, 2006. Aug 3, 2006 - 6:33:00 AM
U.S. State Department Lebanon Situation Update for U.S. Citizens in Lebanon The U.S. Government is using all resources possible to facilitate the speedy and safe departure of American citizens currently in Lebanon using every means available. The departure of every single American citizen who wishes to leave Lebanon is the first priority for the U.S. Government. Jul 22, 2006 - 4:35:00 PM
U.S. State Department Philippines Travel Warning for U.S. Citizens This Travel Warning updates information on the security situation and reminds Americans of the risks of travel to the Philippines. Terrorist groups and radical insurgents continue to plan multiple attacks throughout the Philippines. Jun 16, 2006 - 2:04:00 PM
